NURSE PHYSICIAN COLLABORATIVE PRACTICE - IMPROVING HEALTH-CARE QUALITY WHILE DECREASING COST/

Significant variations and inconsistency in both the physician's and n urse's approach to the treatment of neonates with a ''rule-out sepsis' ' (R/O sepsis) diagnosis is seen as both high cost and low quality. Be cause R/O sepsis is seen as a diagnostic dilemma for practicing clinic ians, there has been a widespread tendency to readily initiate antibio tic treatment, without adequate consideration of the high financial an d morbidity costs associated with the complications of treating the no ninfected infant. This study demonstrates that the use of an agreed up on risk profile facilitated the collaborative standardization of diagn osis and treatment of the R/O sepsis patient, improved quality, and re duced costs (by minimizing over treatment) without increasing risk. Th is collaborative approach enhanced nurse-physician relationships, resu lting in significant cost savings as well as diminished anxiety and co nfusion among the parents of neonates diagnosed with R/O sepsis.